Smile (Hiatus)
by imafangirlforever
Summary: In which Tohru dies and the others are left behind.
1. The End

**A/N: First Fruits Basket fanfic. Warning: Character death**

**edit 2/19/15: Revised, added things. Hopefully this story will be off hiatus soon…**

A scream echoed through the night. There was blood, so much blood. At first, no one reacted: they were too shocked to do anything. Then, a figure sprinted to the falling girl, only one name reaching his lips as his arms outstretched, reaching towards her.

.

"TOHRU!"

.

Something was wrong. Why couldn't she see anything? She tried to open her eyes. Her eyelids' weight seemed to have tripled. She gave up on that, instead focusing on the seemingly never-ending pain. It seemed to be a throbbing, numbing sensation specifically coming from her back, and she watched in fascination as scarlet colored liquid stained her hands red.

.

_I was so happy when you smiled_

_Your smile breaks through the clouds of grey_

.

Someone was begging for her not to give up. She tried to focus on that voice, its consistency, its kindness. Who was it? It sounded familiar, but the voice seemed to be fading in the background as the throbbing sensation continued. Strangely, she felt eerily calm as her strength slowly faded away.

.

_Far from the sunny days that lie in sleep_

_Waiting with patience for the spring_

_._

Her mouth opened in faint surprise as a thought flashed through her mind. She didn't fall down. That meant someone had caught her.

Who?

She tried to move her head, but the pain flared up again and she almost drifted into a state of unconsciousness. Black spots danced before her eyes, and she felt her eyelids closing shut as the urge to sleep overwhelmed her.

Sleep would be nice right now, and maybe when she woke up from this nightmare, it would all be over. Sleep, with the beautiful relief from the pain.

.

_When the flowers will bloom renewed again_

_Knowing there's more beyond the pain of today_

.

Her eyelids flew open, a fierce determination in her deep brown eyes before they closed again, the pain shocking her as she nearly gave in. NO! She wouldn't give up to the temptation. She wasn't one to give up and die just like that. Her arm twitched as she struggled to move, but the pain hit her again. A cool hand was clutching onto her arm, as if clinging to it would help the person stay with her.

.

_Although the scars of yesterday remain_

_You can keep on living as much as your heart believes_

.

She was dying. The fact flashed through her mind, and she forced down a wave of panic and other emotions she couldn't quite discern. Instead, she focused on the present as she gritted her teeth. She had to open her eyes, she just had to!

Slowly, painfully, through willpower alone, her eyelids opened slightly. At first, the world was blurry, a wide arrange of colors nearly blinding her. Then it focused…

The person holding her… orange hair, red-brown eyes… Kyo?

.

_You can't be born again_

_All though you can change_

.

"I…" she choked. The person to her right hushed her, telling her just to focus on living. Was it Yuki? In her scattered state, she couldn't discern who it was. Kyo was doing the same, telling her..._begging_ her to not give up. But, she had to tell them.

"I…" she tried again. Again, she was reprimanded.

She couldn't say it. She couldn't tell them that… she loved them. She had to. She had to tell them. They were her friends. Her family. Her precious people that she loved.

She choked back a sob.

She had to tell them.

She desperately summoned whatever strength she had left, a silent prayer flying from her lips. _Please, just_**_once_**_!_

Slowly, her lips curled into a weak smile as she gave one last sigh before uttering her last words.

"I love you. Never forget that, okay?"

.

_Let's stay together always~_

.

A choked cry. A stiffled sob.

Then reality kicked in.

"_TOHRU_!"

**A/N: I just depressed myself. I just... KILLED TOHRU! HOW COULD I? Anyways (*coughs throat*), this will have multiple short chapters showing some characters' opinions on her death. Please review and tell me what you think!**


	2. Desperation

**A/N: I don't own Fruits Basket. Same goes for the other chapters.**

**edit 2/19/15: Edited, added extra details.**

* * *

It had come out of nowhere. One moment, the cheerful brunette had been talking to Momiji, giggling and chatting about something like the upcoming school festival. No one was paying attention to their conversation, Kyo leaning on the wall sulking and Yuki smiling kindly, staring up at the sky with soft eyes. The rest of their friends were scattered around them, idly talking or focusing on other things. Then, there was the scream.

The scream, the blood, and the silence.

The worst part of it all was the pleading of the two boys that knelt by her side.

.

"Tohru! C'mon, idiot, wake up!" Kyo shook her shoulders over and over again, as if she was simply sleeping and she'd wake up in a moment. He was afraid of what would happen if she didn't wake up. But... she _had_ to wake up! Tohru was irreplaceable. Tohru did not die. She _could not_ die. If she died…his breath caught as the thought occurred to him. If she died…what would he do?

"Miss Honda, please! Just hold on until the ambulance gets here!" Yuki's eyes were almost wild as he watched his friend's life slipping away from her as he couldn't do anything but watch helplessly. "Please!"

He wasn't going to let this happen. Tohru was everything to them! It was simply not logical: she could not die. Yuki stifled a sob as he faintly registered that the others were gone, getting help, and she'd be safe soon. She'd be safe. For sure.

But... what would happen to them if she wasn't?

The girl's eyes opened slowly, and both of her friends gave a cry of relief.

.

"I…" the girl muttered. She coughed up a lot of blood. Scarlet, ruby colored, blood.

"Save your energy! Just focus on surviving!" Yuki told her. She... _had _to survive. She was Tohru, _their_ Tohru. She could not, _would _not die.

Kyo nodded, his throat not seeming to work for him to say anything else. Was it hoarse from the screams? Or the wave of emotions as her hand, pale and gentle, twitched and tried to touch his reassuringly?

.

"I…" she seemed to be losing focus as her eyes' vigor began to fade. Suddenly, she clutched Kyo's arm and forced the last of her words out, her eyes filled with a determination that seemed out of character for the sweet, gentle girl.

.

"I love you." One of her smiles, those smiles they always loved and cherished, the smiles that brought light into not just their lives but everyone else's, lit up across her face as a serene expression overtook it. "Never forget that, okay?"

Her hand slipped, and it fell limp.

.

Both of her friends' eyes widened as they watched the girl close her eyes for the last time. Kyo's throat was clogged as he couldn't do anything but stare at his friend's limp body, and a small choking sound came out of it. "T-Tohru?"

Yuki had caught on quicker, his face lowered and bangs covering his face as his body shook with silent tears as he stifled a sob. Slowly, he watched his friend register that _no,_ Tohru was not alright and _no_ she was not coming back. A desperate cry uttered from the ginger, screaming what name was echoing through Yuki's mind.

"TOHRU!"


	3. Killed

It had affected all of them greatly, Shigure noted. Tohru's death. Kyo, Yuki, Uo, Hana, Momiji, Hatsuharu... the list went on for line after line.

.

_Tohru's death._

.

Those words stung. Just those two bittersweet words could send even the strongest of them into a state of depression and silence. Tohru, that sweet, cheerful, bubbly, kind girl… she never deserved to be killed.

.

_Killed._

.

No one knew who murdered her yet: apparently the only clue to the killer was the silver knife found in her body. Why had she been killed? Why _her_ of all people? Why Tohru?

It had affected all of them.

* * *

**A/N: I never knew I could write such short chapters.**


	4. Grieving

The house was now quiet. Empty, almost.

.

_ Lonely._

.

Kyo had moved back to the mountains, saying that he would train to beat "that damn rat". Everyone knew that wasn't really true anymore... and he was grieving for Tohru, in his own way. His ruby eyes seemed to be much dimmer than before, and his smile as he announced his leave looked fake.

Yuki had immersed himself in work to find the killer. He rarely came down to see Shigure, except to get his meals and going to school in the morning. He had locked himself in a world of utter silence. That was his way of grieving for Tohru.

.

Both boys did not cry: at the time of the death, at her funeral, or when they visited the cemetery.

No, they would not cry. A mutual understanding had come between the two once-bitter rivals.

They would not... _could_ not cry.

They both knew that Tohru wouldn't want that.

.

* * *

**A/N: Please review! Any suggestions?**


	5. Broken

It hurt. It hurt so much.

Kyo gritted his teeth. He punched the punching bag. Then again. Then again. And suddenly, he was in a rage.

Thoughts swirled around in his head.

_._

_Why did you leave? Why did you leave us? Do you know how much we all miss you? How _I_ miss you?_

_._

She wasn't dead. She couldn't be dead. Tohru was… Tohru was..

_"Kyo!"_

"Tohru?" he turned around wildly. Behind him was a lone stone path. A breeze picked up a leaf, making it drift towards him.

He was alone.

He stopped punching. He… missed her. That clumsy, foolish, lovable, idiot was gone. _Gone._ He couldn't do anything about it. He had stood there, useless. Unable to do anything as the life drained out of her.

He missed her. He missed her smile. He missed her laughter. He missed her hands: warm, welcoming, always there to comfort him. He missed her.

Something inside him broke that day, and he doubted he would ever get it back.

"Tohru," he whispered, "Why?"

* * *

**A/N: Tohru and Kyo... I actually like Yuki better then Kyo... No offense. He's just more my type. Well, I'm going to sulk in a corner. Good day.**


	6. Smile

Tohru.

That girl was on his mind, always now. Yuki sighed.

.

_"Hey, hey! Yuki, why are you sighing?" the brunette questioned._

_ "I'm just tired, don't worry, Miss Honda," he gave her a polite smile. _

_"Don't sigh then, because you know what?" she gave him a grin, "Sighs let out all of your happiness. Instead, just try to smile!"_

_"Smile?"_

_"Yeah! Like this," she gave him a wide grin, "Now you try!"_

_The corners of his mouth twitched. "I'm fine, but thank you."_

_"Well, I guess you are tired... but Yuki, promise me one thing."_

_"What?" he was startled._

_"Never forget how to smile. You always need to keep smiling, Yuki."_

_._

_Tohru._ A lump was in his throat. Tohru.

The first person outside of their family to _accept_ them. To accept their curse. To accept _him_. And she was gone.

Yuki vowed to find the killer. He knew Kyo was probably doing the same. They'd avenge her.

Avenge? That word pulled him short. No, Tohru wouldn't want that. She wouldn't want them caught up in the past, in revenge, in vengeance. Instead, she'd want them to smile.

To laugh. To _live_.

"Tohru," he whispered. "What do I do now? I don't.. I don't know."

* * *

**A/N: Well, you CAN count this as Tohru x Yuki if you like it, or you can count it as friendship/grieving. Either way, it IS depressing. (At least to me). I actually like both couples, so it doesn't matter to me much.**


	7. Anniversary

It had been one year. Already? Time passes by so fast… or does it?

.

Every day had been a struggle for Kyo. Tohru… why? He gritted his teeth. Today, he and the rest of the Sohmas, along with Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima were going to her grave. Her grave.

It was right next to her mother's. Tohru's mother. She had left them.

.

She had left all of them.


	8. Acceptance

She was closer to them than she ever imagined. Hana had thought she and Uo would be the most affected… yet here they were: the two boys that Tohru had always hung out with.

Hana was always the most calm out of their group of three. No, that's not right… their former group of three. Yet, it was all she could do to keep a straight face whenever her classmates would pat her on the back sympathetically.

They never knew Tohru like she did.

.

Tohru.

.

That name hurt so much. Her best friend, who was the only one to actually reach out to her. To accept her as who she was.

The difference between Hana and the rest of Tohru's friends... was that she accepted that Tohru was gone. She was the first one to stop moping. Instead, she began to talk more frequently, trying to fill in the gap in their hearts where Tohru had been.

.

Hana knew.

.

Tohru was gone. And she wasn't coming back.


	9. Healing

He felt guilt. Undeniable guilt. Momiji was the one who was talking to Tohru when she died. He could have saved her. He could have saved everyone from this nightmare of misery.

He once told Yuki what he thought about himself now. Yuki had gotten mad, saying that Tohru wouldn't want him to think of the what ifs… and instead, she'd want them to move on.

How could he move on? How could _they_ move on?

Tohru was _everything_ to them. She was the sun that lit up their hearts: that taught them to live and love.

_Laugh, Momiji,_ he could almost hear her voice telling him.

The young boy simply bowed his head and tried for a smile.

He'd be strong: for those who were suffering the most, like Kyo and Yuki. He'd be strong enough to take a step forward.

_One step at a time_.

His lips curled up into a smile, "Thank you, Tohru."

He'd wait. Wait, and wait... until the day when everyone's hearts would be healed.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you _justanotherdreamgirl_ for your reviews. I'm glad you like the story (because this was my first Fruits Basket one). If you want me to do a perspective on anyone, just ask! Review and tell me your thoughts.**


	10. Black and white

They needed to move on. Hatsuharu knew that, yet…

.

They couldn't.

.

Not without her.

.

It seemed like the world was at a standstill. No, it seemed like their world was at a standstill, while time still cruelly passed. One whole year. A year without smiles and laughter that he had become accustomed to.

He shouldn't have gotten attached to such a pleasure. Everything nice ends eventually. Including that brief period of time filled with happiness. But…

She couldn't be dead. She just couldn't.

_Not everything was black and white_, he reminded himself softly. _The world is cruel and merciless. _

Yet, she had shown him that there was more to the world then just that...

... yes, the world wasn't black _or_ white.

It was grey. There would always be evil in the world: and nothing they could do would change that. But there would always be good in the world: and Tohru was one of those people.

The world wasn't just black and white.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to _The Character's Death_ and _demonpoxxx_ for your reviews! I feel so happy whenever I read new ones.**


	11. Protect

They knew her, Uo noted. More than she ever thought they knew about her.

_ Tohru_. Her mom had taken her in when Uo was in her darkest days. Tohru had shown her the happiness in life. The reason to live.

Now, it was up to her to spread the happiness. Along with everyone else who knew Tohru. They now had to smile and continue on. For her.

It was so hard to. How could she do it so easily? Give a smile that warms up the soul, comforts the mind… she missed Tohru.

Maybe... maybe she couldn't do it like Tohru. No... it wasn't maybe. _No one_ could. But, she had to try. She had to stay strong.

.

Sympathetic looks were given to her as she walked to school every day, but she marched on with a determined expression on her face. Once she reached the classroom, she sat down at her desk, waving cheerfully at Kyo and the Prince, "What's up?"

They both stared at her for a moment, and gave her an almost imperceptible nod, "Hello." "Hi."

They had such a forlorn look on their face.

It was then she knew that they were lost.

They didn't know what to do, to forgive? Or forget?

_They'd find the answer._

They had to forgive themselves, and keep Tohru's memory alive by _living_ themselves.

But until that day when they could move on came, for Tohru's sake, Uo would be strong. She plastered a smile on her face and began chatting with Hana. Her friend, with the oh-so-mysterious eyes, seemed to understand what Uo had decided to do.

She gave Uo a smile, "Don't worry, everything will be alright."

Uo nodded, thinking to herself as she stared out of the window. _Tohru, do you see us? Are you proud of us?_

She sighed, then straightened up and gave Hana a grin, "Yeah."

Both girls were thinking of their best friend's most beautiful smile. Nothing could ever match up to it, and they knew it. But that smile was gone, and they had to preserve those precious memories and feelings Tohru had tried so hard to protect.

They would protect everyone's happiness, just as Tohru had done.

**A/N: Thank you to _emilybrock101_, _The Character's Death, demonpoxxx, _and _qwerty_ for their supportive reviews. You guys don't know how happy it makes me to know somebody is reading my story. I'm working on Akito's POV, and since I already finished this, I wanted to post it. I REALLY do want to fake Tohru's death, but... this is supposed to be a tragedy story and they've already buried her body... this fanfiction is supposed to show the Sohmas and Tohru's other friends moving forward in Tohru's memory. I'm sorry! But, on the bright side, I'm planning a new Fruits Basket fanfiction (emphasis on planning because I take forever on that). **

**Thanks for reviewing and reading this!**


	12. Fear

**A/N:Okay, so I'm referring to Akito as a guy. No offense intended. I don't own Fruits Basket**

* * *

Akito was... perplexed. That _girl_, who was staying with Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki... was _dead?_

He had mixed feelings about that.

Akito was always afraid of dying. There was always a chance to die in everything he saw. A push off the stairs, an accidental shot by a police officer, a stupid cook who couldn't tell what was poisonous and what was not. Or, even worse, he could die from any medical reason.

Dying was the fear that always haunted him. He mused on the fact that the dead _had_ gained something once they died: pure, sweet relief that they could not die again.\

He knew he was fated to die one day, as every human did. Yet, he felt that _he_ was the most afraid of dying. How come Yuki, or Kyo, could easily be more affected by the death of _her_ than any threat Akito made to them? Why did they not fear death?

Not only that... why did _that girl_ not fear him? Why... _whyi_?

Akito's thoughts whirled around in a rage, and he found himself throwing pots, vases, and whatever else he could find around the room.

His clouded thoughts began to clear, and Akito breathed heavily as he stared blankly at the wall.

_Why_ had her death affected _him_ so much?

They always seemed so happy with her. Akito scowled. While he was stuck, cooped up in this... _prison_ of a house, they were always laughing or smiling at each other (stupidly, he might add).

What was love?

What was happiness?

What did Akito _want_ in life? Would he just sit and wait there, surrounded by people yet by himself? Surrounded by his family, who hated him?

Akito almost broke down.

He didn't know what to do anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Yet another depressing chapter. And after I had started all the inspiring ones too!**


	13. Renew

**A/N: I'm so happy you all reviewed! Thank you to ****_Qwerty, emilybrock101, The Character's Death, StockinCutie _****and ****_demonpoxxx_**** for reviewing! This chapter and the previous chapter were suggested by ****_Qwerty_****. Sorry for the late update. I don't own Fruits Basket!**

* * *

Motoko had never seen the Prince so defeated.

Yes, she and Tohru had been rivals in the past. Yet, why was it that her heart hurt so much whenever she thought of the kind girl?

The school was in shock when they heard the news of Tohru Honda's death. Of course, withing a matter of days, most of the students had gotten over it. Most of them.

Yet, why did _she_ not get over it?

She loved Yuki. Yes, and that was the main reason that she even knew Tohru Honda. She was always that meddlesome girl that stole Yuki's attention away from his loyal fans.

Why couldn't Motoko be there for him? Why couldn't she be there for her Prince, who she swore to protect?

It seemed now that almost everyone had _forgotten_ about Tohru. The girls in the fanclub still chattered and gossiped, the teachers kept teaching...

... why did she care so much about her death?

Was it because of the Prince?

Yes, Motoko supposed that was _part_ of the reason. Every day, she would watch with sad eyes as the Prince and his cousin staggered to school, not even bothering to wave (or insult, in Kyo's case) at her. It was like she was invisible all over again to the Prince, except this time it was even worse.

Before, he knew of her as his fanclub president. Then, he began to take notice of her more and would smile or occasionally talk with her. Yet now, he knew her... but he didn't say a word or even looked as her as he walked past.

He didn't care about anything anymore.

Even so, even after all of this.. why did Motoko care about Tohru's death so much?

She remembered the kind girl, who had still smiled and reached out her hand at Motoko even though _she_ was the one that hurt her. Even though _she_ hated her, Tohru had still tried to make friends with her.

She didn't deserve to die.

Motoko was having an internal struggle. How could she help her Prince through all of this? How could she bring back his beautiful, graceful smile that he always wore?How could she make him _happy_ again?

She resolved to help him, however she could. She had to stay strong. Being weak or crying would get her nowhere.

.

The next day, Motoko ran to school early and waited for the Prince to show up at the front gates.

"Hello, Sohma-kun!" she greeted cheerfully, not wavering the slightest. She had spent a long time pondering on what she should call him, and deciding that he always took a polite approach, started acting like a proper _senpai_.

His gaze went to her face, and for a moment it looked like he didn't recognize her. Then, he said, "Hello, Minagawa-senpai."

"How are you doing? It's a fine weather today, isn't it?"she chattered on happily, making him smile just a bit. It was an improvement, and she smiled.

As she continued to talk with the Prince, she saw Tohru's friends, Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima. Hanajima, the one she had always thought of as cursed and creepy, nodded to her in understanding. A smile lit up on her face, and she gave Motoko one more approving glance before following Uotani to class.

Motoko would make her Prince smile, just as he once did. She would make him happy.


	14. Spring

Hatori felt empty. It was just like losing Kana all over again. The laughter, the smiles, the happiness had been replaced by utter and complete silence. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to forget about Tohru Honda. The girl was simply, their savior from the abyss of despair and sadness. She had broken the curse for _them_, but he could not do anything for her.

Mayuko, their homeroom teacher and his new love, had often commented on how sullen and dull the classroom had become. Was it because of the absence of the girl that had captured their hearts, or the silence of the rowdy friends that always surrounded her?

He didn't know. What would they do now? He knew he would move on, and the same could be said for some of the Sohmas. But what of the rest of them, that were close to Tohru? Yuki, Kyo, Momiji, Hatsuharu...

Hatori had a different view from them. Tohru had been stolen from them, and that was true. But what was the point of moping about it forever? They had to move forward. It would be hard, but they _had_ to. He just hoped they would see that for themselves.

He still remembered that conversation he had with Tohru _that_ day. It seemed so long ago, he reminisced.

OoO

_"What do you think snow becomes after it melts?" he held the beautiful, yet fragile substance in his hand. In a way, the girl reminded him of snow. Delicate and beautiful, like a porcelain doll ready to break. The guilt that had consumed him when he had to leave Kana seemed to resurface as he studied what seemed like a cruel twist of fate, seeing a girl that mirrored her so much.  
_

_She paused for a moment, considering his question. "What? Um, let's see. It... it becomes spring, doesn't it?"_

_He looked up, startled. It was just like back then..._

_Emotions whirled inside him, but he forced them down as he listened to her next words._

_"No matter how cold it is now, spring will come for sure. Amazing, isn't it?" she continued happily, unaware of the inner conflict occurring in Hatori. "Snow always melts away. Always. I love spring the most."_

OoO

"Spring, how suitable for her."

His lips quirked up into a smile as he thought of the season. Beautiful, like the cherry blossom petals that fell to the ground. Gentle, like the rays of sunlight that lit up the world. Kind, just like her.

"Spring..." he muttered again, closing his eyes as he drifted into a gentle sleep.

* * *

**A/N: I'm so sorry for updating! I had no idea who to do next... I just felt the story was incomplete and needed _more_. ****If you haven't noticed, I changed the title and summary to something more suitable, in my opinion. ****Thanks for reviewing, _emilybrock101_ and _The High Queen of Angst_. Thank you to everyone else for reading, favoriting, and/or following this story! Please review and leave any suggestions. **


	15. Their Sun

The world seemed much darker than it had been before.

Rin knew how dark, how _evil_ the world could be. Of course she would, with her... _parents_. She shut her eyes tight, clenching her fist as she tried to fight off the images of _those times_ out of her head. They were over. She was safe. She was _loved_ now. She... she couldn't be this damn weak! She was not alone anymore.

It hurt to be alone. Tohru had understood that, and accepted that. She had hugged her in a silent, comforting way that no one but she could do.

_Tohru._ The word seemed like a sigh, and she sagged to the ground, leaning against the pillar. Tohru was dead.

At first, she didn't know. When Haru had told her, she had simply shook her head and said "Tohru's not dead". How could she be? In Tohru, Rin had found a mother. Someone who cared about her, even though she was cursed. Yet, when reality came sinking in, she had been stunned silent in disbelief.

She could still remember that day, when she had found out about the death. Strange, how it seemed so long ago, yet her heart still ached every time she thought of it.

OoOoOoO

_"No, it c-can't be!" she croaked, staring at her shaking hands. She raised her head to look at him, and her face contorted to that of rage. "You're lying, Haru! Why would you lie to me? She can't be dead, she's not dead. She wouldn't leave me alone like this. __I just talked to her the other day!__ Tohru can't be dead! She... she.. she-"_

_"Rin."_

_That one word had stopped her tirade. She stared into his eyes, that held so much sadness, but still gazed at her in firm resolution._

_"Rin," he spoke, almost gently as he held her shoulders. "I've never lied to you, have I?"_

_"Don't." She covered her ears, as if to block out the inevitable truth. "Haru, I don't want to hear it, dammit!"_

_"Rin, she's dead."_

_He was never one to tell lies. She bit her lip to keep from crying. No, she wouldn't cry. She couldn't cry. A wave of sadness hit her, and she realized how much the brunette had done for her. No, not just her. Tohru had affected all of the Sohmas. Tohru deserved to live. She had her whole life ahead of her, and friends to cheer for her._

_What about Rin? She didn't have many friends. She didn't have any permanent goal. She couldn't help Haru or Yuki when they truly needed her. Or did she?_

_The black-and-white haired man stood silently before her, watching. Always watching, always there to protect her._

_She didn't deserve that much _

_"H-Haru, why did she have to die? Why couldn't I die in her place?" she asked, and she realized how pathetic she must have sounded._

_"Rin," his voice was sharp, and the intensity of his voice startled her. "Never say that. We can't bear losing you too after all of this. Please, never say that again."  
_

_He pulled her into an embrace. "It's okay. You don't always have to be so strong. It's just me, right?"_

_Why was he so kind to her? What had she done to deserve him? Why did he love her this much?_

_She trembled, and the tears came rolling._

_That was the first time in a long while that she had cried in front of him._

OoOoOoO

She was one of the luckier ones, she thought. Rin, even though Tohru was a mother-like figure to her, was never as close to Tohru then Kyo or Yuki. They had taken her death hard.

Haru was also affected, she noted. Maybe he didn't show it as openly as Yuki and Kyo, but the sadness still lingered in his eyes. She could see it, although some people who didn't know him as well might not have.

They weren't the only ones. Each and every person who had made a true bond with Tohru was more sad, depressed, and gloomy. It was like a dreary blanket had covered the Sun, and everything was more dismal. Yes, she supposed Tohru _was_ their Sun. She was the Sun, always glowing. They were just the planets that orbited the Sun, basking in its warmth.

She gazed up at the beautiful blue sky. It seemed to be taunting her, with its perfectness. Even though the real Sun was shining, the birds were chirping a beautiful melody, and there wasn't any clouds in the sky, in the Sohma family, everything was dark.

"Tohru, I miss you," she sighed. "Everyone's still sad, and I don't know if I can help."

Could she help? Could she do it?

_"Well, you can always try, right?"_

She jerked up, startled. Then, she smiled. Even though she wasn't Tohru, and _couldn't_ ever replace the cheerful girl, she had to try her best. If she didn't, then all the effort Tohru had put in making the Sohmas open up would be lost.

"I'll try my best, Tohru."

* * *

**A/N: I don't think this chapter is very good... because... (gasp) I haven't finished the Fruits Basket manga (avoids random sharp objects thrown by rabid fangirls). I know... I'm reading it. So, basically, I'm not really good at portraying Rin's character. Once I finish, I'll probably re-do this chapter. Tell me what you think, how to improve, or any suggestions for the next chapter. I'm planning to do Kagura sometime though, in case you guys are interested. **

**Thank you to anyone who read, followed, or favorited this! Thanks to _The High Queen of Angst, ThatOneGirlNoOneNotices,_ and _emilybrock101_ for reviewing! I'm so glad you all love the story.**

**BTW, summer vacation's finally here for me! I'm so happy! ^_^ I might update faster or more slower, depending on what I'm doing. Any ideas?**


	16. Selfish

Kagura walked down the road, seemingly deep in thought.

Indeed, she was. She was thinking of the girl that had so deeply changed their lives. Yes, the girl that brought hope and life into the Sohma family's bland, dark lifestyle. Tohru Honda, now deceased.

She gave a bitter smile as she thought of the girl. Her beautiful, pure personality was unmatched by any other. Kagura couldn't do it. She couldn't be like Tohru, and she knew it. That time, when she discovered Kyo's true form, proved it.

When she saw Kyo in his true form, she screamed. Ran away. Even though she promised she'd stay by his side. She had seen a monster.

Yet, when Tohru saw him in his true form, she did not run away. She _was_ scared, but that was human instinct. She had accepted Kyo. Tohru didn't see a monster. She saw her friend, struggling to be loved.

She was there when Tohru died. Kagura was the one to call the ambulance. Of course, they didn't make it in time, and Tohru was pronounced dead.

Kagura had promised Kyo she'd stay by her side, and that was why she now was trying to cheer Kyo up. To bring back his former self.

It didn't seem to work. None of her words made an impact on the teenager, and her heart ached every time she saw him act like... _that_. Gloomy, tired, sad, depressed. There were so many words to describe how he acted now, but Kagura preferred to use the term: _broken_.

Broken, like a puppet that lost its master. A loose puppet on a string, with no one guiding it back to the stage. That was what Kagura was trying to do. Guide him, help him...

But it seemed like she couldn't guide him unless he wanted the help himself. It was like Kyo had locked himself in a pit of despair, and was making no effort to get out. She wanted him to yell at her, talk to her, or do _something_! Why? Why did he not have the motivation to move forward? Was he afraid of losing what little he had left from Tohru?

She was never one to take the initiative. She couldn't help him, and it was driving her mad. He was not listening to her. He was too sad to do anything.

_Why? Why must you do this to yourself?_

"Tohru, I can't do it... I'm so sorry."

Suddenly, she saw a blur of orange. Kyo? She quickly ran to catch up to the running boy.

"K-kyo, what's going on? Where are you going?" she breathed as ran alongside him. They were sprinting fast: and she was so glad that she was good at running. Kyo's almost super-human speed was hard to keep up with.

"I'm going to the school," he said abruptly, making her even more curious.

"What's going on, though?"

"I'm not sure. Someone told me to get to the school as quick as possible, and they said I'd know where to go when I got there. It has to do with one of... _her_ friends."

One of Tohru's friends? She nearly caught her breath.

"I'm coming with you," she told him firmly. He seemed about to protest, but stopped as he saw the determined light in her eyes. If she couldn't help him, at least let her stay by his side.

They reached his school. It was already late evening, and most of the afterschool activities had already stopped and the school was empty. He opened the door cautiously.

Her ears perked up as she heard something.

"This way..." she headed over to the source of the sound. Their footsteps echoed in the empty hall.

Yuki was there, pale as a sheet as he stared at something. Beside him stood Haru and Momiji, both mirroring his expression. Another girl was there, but Kagura didn't know who she was. It seemed like she went to the same school as Kyo and the others though, because she was wearing their uniform. Everyone was staring at the same place, not moving.

"What's the matter?" Kyo asked, perplexed by his relatives' behavior. Kagura nodded.

They shook their heads and pointed to what was in front of them. Curiosity piqued, Kagura pushed through the small crowd, with Kyo following closely behind.

As Kagura and Kyo drew closer, they could see two figures. One was on the ground, while the other was cradling the person with care. It was _them_: Tohru's friends. The scene looked eerily familiar, and Kagura finally realized why. Friends, surrounding the victim. Begging. Blood. The resemblance to _that day_ when Tohru died was so close that it sent shivers down her spine.

For a moment, instead of a blonde laying on the ground, she saw a brunette. A brunette with long, brown hair. The sounds of an ambulance rung faintly in her ears. Blood... blood was everywhere.

Then she was back. In a near-empty hallway, with two people as the center of attention. A few people were beside her, but they seemed to fade in the distance as she stared at the scene.

The metallic smell of blood was in the air, and a silver dagger laid in the middle of the corridor. Pleads of a desperate friend were repeated over and over again, like a mantra. _Don't die. Don't die. Don't die._

"No! Please Uo, stay with me! Don't die!" Hana sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

* * *

**A/N: And... that's a cliffhanger. Yeah, I kinda forgot a _tiny_ detail. WHO WAS TOHRU'S KILLER?! So I ran through a bunch of ideas, but none of the canon Fruits Basket characters seemed to actually have a motive to kill Tohru. So I'm kinda sorta making it a little... weird/strange in the next chapter. Thank you to _The High Queen of Angst, Sydy, _and _ThatOneGirlNoOneNotices_ for reviewing.**


	17. Last Words

Uo and Hana were walking through the corridors of the school, having just returned from detention. Well, technically only Uo was given a detention, but Hana had stayed afterschool to wait for her.

They were always like that now. Together, the pair walked with each other before and after school. They always stuck together, supporting the other person whenever she needed it. Back when they were not a pair, but a trio, Tohru had done the same for them.

It was strange. Tohru was the glue that kept them together, and even after death Tohru still kept them together.

It wasn't like they weren't close. Oh, Hana and Uo were as close as sisters. But Tohru was the one who was always in the middle of their tight-knit group of friends.

"Hey, Uo... do you think she's proud of us?" Hana asked, knowing Uo would know who she was talking about immediately.

The other girl looked startled for a moment by the sudden question. Then, she gave Hana a confident grin. "Well, of course. She's Tohru, after all."

It was only when they were together they could speak her name without any regret or sadness.

_She's Tohru, after all._ Hana smiled at that.

**"You took her away from me."**

"Hmm?" Uo raised her head nonchalantly. "Did you hear something?"

Their feet kept walking in the same steady rhythm. _Right, left. Right, left._

"I thought I did..." Hana was getting a bad feeling about this.

**"Then I took her away from you."**

The words sent a chill down Hana's spine. This person, whoever that had spoken... was the one who caused so much grief. _They_ were the ones who had killed Tohru.

"There's no mistaking it. Who the hell are you? Show yourself, coward!" Uo's face contorted to that of rage.

"Uo, we need to get out of here." The bad feeling Hana had had turned into one of panic and terror. Her voice rose, "Come on, Uo. _Now._"

The blonde turned around to look at her friend, and seeing the _no-nonsense_ expression on her face, she relented. "Okay, let's go."

The two took off running, their steps echoing through the empty corridor. The dim light of the afternoon was fading, and a brilliant red light seemed to flood the school. Red light. Red. The color of _her_ blood.

**"You can't escape."**

_Can't escape. Can't escape._ The words repeated themselves through Hana's mind over and over again, and she bit her lip from screaming. They were trapped, like animals. Unable to be free. Unable to escape from-she could not be this discomposed. But... whatever they were facing wasn't natural.

She forced herself to stop worrying. She turned to the only other person who was with her.

"Wh-what do we do, Uo?" she whispered to her friend.

There was no answer. Her friend was staring at something in the distance with horror and disbelief. Hana froze when she saw the dagger. _The_ dagger. It looked so close. Its silver blade, leather hilt, and intricate swirl that seemed to curve down into a smirk.

"No," she tried to deny what she saw. "This can't be happening."

Yet her pulse quickened and she took short breaths of terror. She couldn't move.

**"Tohru was _mine_. Sorry, _Uo-chan_."**

Her friend fell to the ground. Hana regained her movement fast enough to catch her.

"Uo," she said urgently. "Uo, can you hear me?"

Her friend stirred, and blood began to stain the ground.

"Saki-san? Arisa-san? What are you two doing h- oh my gosh, what happened?!"

"Minagawa-senpai," she acknowledged briefly before turning back to her dying friend.

"H-Hana..." Uo seemed to be in an almost dream-like state as she murmured her friend's name.

"Yes?" Hana clutched Uo's hand tighter, as if doing so would keep her from dying.

"G-get them... bring them here." The words seemed to take quite an effort, and everything quickly lapsed back into silence as Uo's breathing pattern fluctuated. Several times Hana thought she was _gone_ and she had almost gotten hysterical, but the reassuring sound of Uo's breathing calmed her.

"Motoko," Hana directed, not even bothering to add a honorific. "Get Yuki, Kyo, and maybe their cousins if you could get to them. Now."

"O-of course!"

Strange, how easily Hana could keep her voice from shaking as she tried to slow or stop Uo's bleeding. There was too much blood. Just like that day.

Faintly, in the background, she could hear Motoko talking to someone Hana presumed to be Yuki.

"Hello? Sohma-kun? Yes, this is Motoko. Get to the school right now, and bring your cousins and Kyo-san please. Now. An ambulance would be pretty helpful too. Yes, thank you."

She shut the phone, and turned back to Hana. "Is there any way I can help?"

Hana shook her head. "You've done plenty. I can't stop her bleeding though..."

"I can go check for medical supplies..."

"No, don't," she croaked. It was silly, but she felt like she didn't want to be alone. "Please. Just stay here."

All of the boys arrived one by one. First came Haru and Momiji, who both as soon as they realized the situation put a comforting arm on her. Haru had ripped part of his sleeve to tie around Uo's bleeding waist. Momiji seemed shocked. No wonder, as Hana had heard he was the one closest to Tohru when she was attacked.

Next came Yuki. His expression at first was pure shock, but it quickly morphed into concern and sympathy. But something else lingered in his haunted eyes, as if he could see Tohru dying in Uo's stead.

Hana's heart almost stopped when she didn't hear Uo breathing.

"N-no..." she finally sank to the ground, despair and stress overwhelming her. "Uo! Stay with me! Don't die!"

She buried her face in her hands and began crying.

Somewhere during this time, Kyo and his cousin (Kagura, if she remembered correctly) came. They were confused, at first. But when they had seen what had happened, they immediately froze.

"Is she... okay?" Kagura asked hesitantly.

_No, of course not._ Hana wanted to say. Why did people always ask that when the person was obviously _not_ okay. Instead, appreciating the kind gesture, she replied. "For now."

"Heh..." the girl next to her murmured. "They're finally all here."

Everyone turned back to Uo.

"Do you need anything, Miss Arisa?" Yuki asked gently, knowing there was nothing that could help her.

"No... not that. Listen-" she stopped and started coughing up blood. "My time is short, and don't you deny it... so shut up and listen. You guys need to get off your sorry asses and move forward from all of this. I'm not taking no for an answer, got that? Or I'm haunting you for all eternity. Being depressed and gloomy must make Tohru sad. It shows you gave up. Being happy shows that you can follow Tohru's example."

Uo gave everyone that loving smirk she always had. "Thanks for everything, guys..."

Everyone was silent as her hand fell limp.

"Uo? Hey, Uo, what's wrong?" Hana asked, her voice shaking as tears slid down her cheek. Her hands shaking, she traced the outline of Uo's face. "Wh-why aren't you w-waking up?"

"Saki-san," Motoko started, but Yuki quietly hushed her.

OoOoOoO

Soon enough, the ambulance came. People in white masks, carrying a stretcher to take Uo away. Take her away. Hana almost wanted to slap them for taking Uo, _her_ Uo, but Kyo stopped her. _Kyo_ of all people._  
_

Understanding flashed in his eyes as he gripped her hands.

"Don't do anything stupid," he said shortly. "She wouldn't want that."

Hana stopped. What was she doing?

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"Don't mention it."

"Arisa-san," someone said. Hana turned to see Yuki talking to her friend's body. "Thank you. I promise you I'll smile from now on. I just wished... it didn't take your life to make me realize that I was making Tohru sad. Thank you so much."

"I didn't know you that well," someone else spoke up quietly. It was Motoko. "But your fiery spirit was something I admired. I couldn't have made them smile on their own like that, but you did just that. I'll miss you."

"You... were a good person. And I'll never forget everything you taught us. Sure, we got in fights every so often. But you always did it to protect Tohru. Thank you." Kyo seemed like he was reminiscing.

The others went up to give their regards. Finally, it was Hana's turn.

Everything else faded in the background as Hana stared at her friend one last time. Her mouth curved into a smile. "You were never one for fancy speeches, were you? So I'll just say it in a few words. Thank you, Uo. For everything."

OoOoOoO

Hana would like to say that everything was normal after that. It wasn't. More, "I'm so sorry for what you had gone through"s, more sympathetic glances, and even the occasional "she must be cursed: both her friends died because of her"s.

Kyo had beaten up the people who said that.

_That_ was an upside. She was now much closer to Yuki, Kyo, and their relatives now. They smiled, they laughed, and had fun. Just like they promised Uo.

The part that she really hated about school was the walk to and from home. It was now lonely, with no one to talk to her.

After the incident, Hana had a nagging feeling about something. She couldn't remember what it was, though and quickly forgot about the thought.

One day, it hit her. It was during one of her walks to school. How could she have been so _stupid?_

**"You're next, Hana-chan~"**

OoOoOoO

* * *

**A/N: And the story is almost finished! So I noticed that everyone was very... distressed about Uo's death in the last chapter. And I didn't give enough warning, did I? Sorry!**

** Anyways, now here's something a little interesting. I have a few main ideas on who I want to be Tohru's (and now Uo's) killer. Remember the phrase "you took her away from me", which implies it knew Tohru before. Since I can't decide, I'll let the readers vote! So here are the choices:**

**a) a creepy doll Tohru had when she was young. Yes I know, over cliche. It was the only thought I had at the time.**

**b) a cursed dagger. Yes, the one that was used to kill Tohru and Uo. It could've been Kyoko's, leading to it knowing Tohru.**

**c) random psycho who knew Tohru when she was younger**

**d) other (please explain)**

**Thanks! Anyways, thanks to _The High Queen of Angst_ and _Sydy_ for reviewing! I think it's about time to thank the followers and favorite-ers of the story, so thanks to _ASiriusWriter01, BearGirl01, Maexam, Saki-chan16, Sydy, The High Queen of Angst, blueberries1210, _and _may96 _for favorite-ing this story. Thank you to _ASiriusWriter-1, Adri-Swan, Maexam, Saki-chan16, ThatOneGirlNoOneNotices, The High Queen of Angst, blueberries1210, , emilybrock101, justanotherdreamgirl, may96, _and _otakufire1028_ for following the story.**

**R&amp;R!**


	18. Hiatus

**The authoress let out a sigh. Blinking, a very familiar brown-haired girl stared questioningly at the girl.**

**"What's the matter?" she tilted her head cutely. Damn lucky anime girls who could tilt their head and look cute. But the authoress was too tired to complain about reality.**

**"Tohru... I'm doomed. I've gotten little feedback, so I can't progress with the story without opinions. Life sucks. My friends want me to finish the stories we've made together. Studying for school. Parents. I'm being overwhelmed. And I don't have much inspiration..." the girl leaned back in her plush chair.**

**"B-but, what about Kyo? And Yuki! And all of my other friends! Are you just going to leave?" her warm brown eyes began to tear up.**

**"For a while, maybe. I know I'm going to return to this, but I'm just taking a temporary break. Sorry, everyone... I might add a few omakes or something with you being alive for compensation... actually, I haven't been updating for a while. So this is just to officially tell all of them."**

**"W-wait! Have you thought this out?"**

**"Sure I did. Here, I'll drag Kyo and Yuki over so you guys can chat while I type this up." The girl stood up, went into her closet, and pulled out two distressed looking characters.**

**"Tohru!" Both boys jumped up at the same time, rushing over to the girl.**

**"I'm here too..." Uo muttered forlornly. "And why exactly where they in your closet?"**

**She shrugged. ****"It's okay, I'm ignored most of the time too..." the authoress gave her a pat on the back before turning back to the audience. "Well, that's all I have to say for now. I'm really sorry guys."**


End file.
